KeepLand

About the Project

A leading sports-tech startup, Keep provides a one-stop service towards fitness training, social network, nutrition guide and sporting goods that connect all sports scenarios for users to enjoy fitness anywhere anytime. With 180 million users, Keep nurtures an active online community of a new generation in China that embraces the idea of “self-discipline creates true freedom” via exercising. The app has become a hub for like-minded peers to connect and to express themselves on social media. Keep is more than a content provider but a cultural phenomenon that echoes the rising awareness of life quality in China nowadays.
As Keep’s community grows and its users mature in their fitness training, Keep sees an opportunity in creating a physical location that provides more diverse content and interpersonal offline communication. We have collaborated with Keep to design their flagship studio - Keepland Beijing Fun. Incorporating Keep’s online content and community base, the flagship brings smart, efficient, and exciting fitness exercise, closing the loop of their fitness service from online to offline.

What’s unique about it

Keep is growing at a fast rate and wants to scale across China quickly. Keepland Flagship is one of their first stores, and Keep looks for a design language that allows a simple expansion into different sized and shaped locations while maintaining a consistent experience. We also have to consider ways to bring Keep’s technology DNA and its widely adored in-app experience into a physical space. We want to create an entirely different workout experience - something that possesses the functionality of a fitness space but does not act, look, or feel like a traditional gym.
The flagship has two zones, differentiated through materiality. The Communal Zone is a vital part of the flagship. It provides an open area for events, such as health-related workshops and meet-ups. We used brushed stainless steel to create a light and spacious environment. The LED lights mirror the running track pattern on the light grey linoleum flooring, guiding users around the flagship.
In contrast, the Workout Zone has a dark palette to cultivate an immersive environment that allows users to concentrate on their training. RGB color LED lights have been installed on the top of a black-painted lighting track. The coach can freely curate the lighting suitable for the atmosphere of the class. The duality of the material palette reflects the brand identity and sensorial fitness experience. The visual experience of the space is integrated into the overall fitness experience.